The RoundHouse | 2/9/2018 11:11:00 AM

By Paul Suellentrop 
 
Wichita State softball coach Kristi Bredbenner hears the Shockers talk about the team's chemistry and strong relationships. She has heard that before – almost every team gets along well before the season.
 
She thinks the bonds on this team are real enough to withstand adversity and balanced between good times and accountability.
 
"They're a very passionate group and they get along very well," she said. "And it's not a situation where I feel like we're all friends . . . and it's OK if we fail. It's 'We want to all get along, but we're all here for a purpose – to win softball games.' I like that, because sometimes I feel like we can be too nice. I feel like this team really has the trust in each other that if there's an issue, there's going to deal with it."
 
The Shockers started Bredbenner's seventh season with a weather-adjusted schedule at Auburn's Plainsman Invite on Thursday. Predicted rains pushed up Friday's scheduled opener a day and the Shockers traveled Thursday before losing 2-0 to No. 13 Auburn.
 
Bredbenner credits her experienced returners with setting up the season on a good note.
 
"They've learned and seen, in the past, what are some of the things we, as a program, struggled with off and on and I think they all know chemistry is one of them," she said. "The real challenge is getting through the season with that great team chemistry. We're off to a great start."
 
Preseason chemistry for the Shockers often starts with the coupon on the back of men's basketball tickets for queso after a victory. Fridays are for Mexican food to start the weekend and for Netflix to watch "Parenthood" and "Grey's Anatomy."
 
"Queso . . .  We usually always win, so that's where we end up," said Wichita State pitcher Bailey Klitzke. "We watch chick flicks sometimes. No scary movies."
 
Wichita State returns four starters from last season's 32-20 team and must replace their top two pitchers. The roster includes seven newcomers. Add in the American Athletic Conference and it is a season full of transition.
 
"Softball is more than just softball and a lot of people forget that," Klitzke said. "If you have that good bond off the field, it shows on the field."
 
Pitcher Bailey Lange, a transfer from Northern Iowa, is one of those newcomers. She started Thursday's opener and held Auburn to two hits and struck out four. The team bonding helped her adjustment to the new situation.
 
"You know you have 18 other girls on the team that will come and pick you up if you're not having a good day," Lange said. "During practices, there aren't a lot of time to get to know each other."
 
Lange's performance on Thursday is encouraging as the Shockers rebuild their pitching staff after the departures of  Katie Malone and Jenni Brooks, who combined to start 142 of 166 games over the past three seasons.
 
Lange, a junior, went 11-11 with a 3.64 earned run average in 46 appearances at Northern Iowa. Her experience puts her at the top of the rotation to start the season.
 
Klitzke, a sophomore, went 2-2 with a 3.94 ERA in 16 appearances last season. Freshman Caitlin Bingham, from Tecumseh, Okla., also figures into the pitching plans prominently.
 
"They both bring totally different philosophies," Bredbenner said. "Klitzke is left-handed, she's up change. Bingham is right-handed, she's got a great changeup and she's got a great drop-ball. They'll be more of a matchup."
 
Lange, who hit 17 home runs in two seasons at UNI, offers versatility that coaches are eager to explore. She will hit, as will Bingham and freshman Mckenzie Weber.
 
"That's a whole new ball-game for me," Bredbenner said. "I've never had a pitcher that could hit. There's definitely some learning curve. We're really going to have to manage our lineup. That's a good thing."
 
Catcher Madison Perrigan hit .304 with nine home runs as a freshman last season and earned second team All-Missouri Valley Conference and All-Defensive Team honors.
 
The infield should excel defensively with the return of third baseman Mackenzie Wright and shortstop Laurie Derrico.
 
Wright, a senior who hit .360 last season, earned All-MVC honors. Derrico, a junior, hit .319 and led the Shockers with 13 home runs. Sophomore Ryleigh Buck, who played in 26 games last season, will start at first base. Second baseman Kaylee Huecker is also a strong defender.
 
"Wright, to me, is going to be a tremendous loss at the end of the year," Bredbenner said. "She, by far, is the best third baseman I've been around, defensively. She gives our pitchers so much more confidence out there, because a hot-shot gets hit to her and she makes a phenomenal play."
 
Bredbenner likes the top of her lineup with hitters such as Wright, Derrico, Perrigan and outfielder Paige Luellen. She wants Lange, a lefty who can bunt and run, to develop into a consistent threat in the two-hole. The bottom of the order is more of a question.
 
"I think we definitely have power," Bredbenner said. "One of my concerns, sometimes, is that we get underneath the ball a little bit too much and try to rely on that power. I'd like to see us flatten out a little bit more and hit more base hits, line drives."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.